SUBMITTED PHOTO Grace Collins of Marshalltown speaks after receiving the 2026 Miss Rodeo Iowa crown on Saturday. The coronation was held at the Central Iowa Fairgrounds, but Collins’ year-long reign began on Jan. 1.

Pageant and rodeo royalty and fans gathered at Central Iowa Fairgrounds on Saturday for the coronation of Miss Rodeo Iowa 2026 – Grace Collins, who became the first from Marshalltown to hold the title.

The 2025 Miss Rodeo Iowa winner, Jolene Westercamp of Farmington, was present to pass on the crown which is placed on a cowboy hat.

“I know she is going to count on every single one of you guys to have her back, to be somebody she can just call on her way home when she’s driving at 2 a.m. on her way to a rodeo,” Westercamp said, speaking about Collins. “. . . Grace you’re going to be in for the ride of your life. Hang on. It’s going to go way faster than you think it is, and I’m already so proud. . . . It’s been 24 days that you’ve been Miss Rodeo Iowa and it’s been amazing to see you shine.”

Miss Rodeo Iowa 2015 Hannah Barnes served as emcee of the event and invited Collins up to receive her crown in front of her “village,” referring to Westercamp’s request for people in Marshalltown to support her.

Collins, 23, was tearful but happy as she gave her acceptance speech to more than 130 people who showed up to support her reign.

“Thank you all so much for coming,” she said. “It’s mindblowing this many people showed up for me.”

Collins discussed her platform “Live Fearless.” For a long time, she spent a lot of time worrying about what people thought of her words, her clothes. Because of that worry, Collins said she missed out on great opportunities.

“Sometimes living fearlessly is not always jumping out of an airplane or going diving with sharks,” she said. “For some of us, it’s going to the grocery store alone or standing in front of your friends and family, trying to speak.”

Those two things made Collins nervous in the past.

“But look at me now. I’m standing in front of my friends and family with a microphone,” she said. “. . . This next year is all about living fearlessly and advocating for those who might be like me who need a gentle shove in the right direction and a little help to find their voice.”

Collins was named Miss Rodeo Iowa in September during the pageant in Fort Madison. Participants must be between the ages of 21 and 26 and are judged in three areas – appearance, horsemanship and personality. They need to ride horses through two established routes, give a prepared speech and answer impromptu questions.

In addition to attending and speaking at various events throughout the state, she will travel to Las Vegas to compete in the Miss Rodeo America pageant, which is held in conjunction with the annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or bradstream@timesrepublican.com.